Abstract: The integrity of membranes utilized on-board marine vessels to separate oil from oily waste water is monitored by conducting the cleansed waste water along a predetermined path through an enclosure within which a surface of such waste water during flow is exposed to a confined body of air so as to effect the extent of light absorbed therefrom into the waste water. Sensing the light remaining in the body of air produces signals from which membrane integrity may be determined based on the presence of an oil film on the air exposed waste water surface.

Abstract: An easy access deck drain cover assembly with a strainer plate having a removable hinge at one end and a removable locking mechanism opposite the hinge where the locking mechanism includes a J-bolt coupled to the strainer plate and means for engaging the bottom of the J-bolt to secure the strainer plate in a closed position. The strainer plate cover remains connected to the deck drain even when opened so that the deck drain may be serviced.

Abstract: A hinged door panel selectively closing an opening within an enclosure wall is held under adjusted watertight pressure by means of a plurality of elongated closure holding devices pivotally mounted on the enclosure by a frame in surrounding relation to the opening. The closure holding devices are selectively displaced from release positions to closure holding positions overlapping sealing contact surfaces formed by wedge elements on the door panel. Wear pads project from the overlapping closure holding devices to engage the contact sealing surfaces on the wedge elements under the adjusted pressure, to effectively seal the enclosure opening in a watertight manner.

Abstract: Wastewater is delivered to a single tank of a bioreactor system to undergo biological treatment. After undergoing such biological treatment, the wastewater is centrifugally separated outside the tank into contaminated portions with lowered and increased concentration of solids therein to respectively undergo filtration within a small volume chamber of the tank and continuous return to a large volume chamber for biological retreatment during operation of the bioreactor system. Under different conditions of the wastewater delivered to the tank, one of the separated portions of the biologically treated wastewater is disposed of by direct discharge in by-pass relation to the small chamber when delivery thereof into the small chamber is interrupted under selective valve control.

Abstract: An acoustic projector device having a piston exposed to pressure balanced air and water in an acoustically ideal position thereof within a piston chamber enclosing sleeve disposed in an outer housing to which deaerating water is selectively supplied in surrounding relation to the piston chamber sleeve while in communication with one side of the piston through axial slots in the sleeve uncovered by displacement of the piston from said acoustically ideal position.

Abstract: Corrective stabilizing motions are applied to a sea vessel hull during seawater travel in response to stern flap displacement by hydrodynamic forces induced at the buttock of the vessel hull and by the lower flap surfaces at the stern end of the sea vessel hull in response to angular displacement of flap elements from a deployed position in either in-phase or out-of-phase relation to each other in rough seas. An angle of attack range for limiting angular displacement of the flaps is selected so as to minimize resistance to travel and optimize fuel saving during propulsion of the vessel hull at different speeds under different seawater conditions.

Abstract: Incoming wastewater is preheated in a heat exchanger before delivery to a flash chamber through an orifice for flashing into water vapor rising into an upper section of the flash chamber which also has a bottom section into which liquid waste oil or other contaminants settles. Rise of such water vapor into the upper chamber section is induced by a vacuum established therein by a vacuum pump withdrawing the water vapor in a superheated and compressed condition for cooling within a condenser from which the incoming wastewater is delivered to a heat exchanger for preheating. The water vapor during rise into the upper section of the flash chamber is filtered to extract contaminates therefrom while liquefied water vapor thereafter formed therein is collected before the remaining water vapor is cooled into the condensate for collection within a distillate tank from which it is withdrawn for overboard discharge after being monitored for oil content.

Abstract: An underwater target such as the hull of a ship is tested for its susceptibility to damage from explosive shock waves emerging from a rigid conical shell in response to detonation of an explosive charge therein. Such shell is located underwater in close spaced relation to the ship hull.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive motor is provided with a pair of clutch devices on a rotor shaft through which electrical energy from electromagnetic rings on a tubular reactor is converted into forces transferred to the rotor shaft within the reactor under selective control of magnetostrictors and clutches within the tubular reactor to either accelerate or decelerate motion imparted by such forces to the rotor shaft for change of rotor speed magnitude and direction.

Abstract: Linear output motion of a substantial distance is imparted to the top plate of an actuator by forces produced within layers respectively formed by interconnectors on which magnetostriction material slabs are positioned in engagement with end retainers of the interconnectors through which such forces are transferred in sequence to produce the output motion in response to applied magnetic fields, inducing maximized magnetostriction in a direction perpendicular to such output motion. The magnetic fields are generated by electric current conducted through wiring coils extending through the magnetostriction material slabs maintained assembled in the layers under a prestress arrangement accommodating relative displacements resulting from the output motion.

Abstract: In-situ cleaning of the bilgewater processing plates of stacks within the tank chamber of an oil/water separator is performed by an injected chemical cleaning agent while being dispersed by diverted flow of pressurized air introduced into the tank chamber below the plate stacks in the form of air bubbles emerging from plural branches of an air sparging array positioned in underlying alignment with crest formations of the processing plates.

Abstract: A serpentine-shaped spring device having an internal core made of braided wires coated with elastomeric material for environmental protection and to enhance exertion of a low holding spring pressure on a metal fiber brush, when the spring device is suitably anchored at a stationary location to hold the brush in contact with a rotor during rotation thereof while conductively transferring electrical current thereto from the core of the spring device.

Abstract: Operation of an internal combustion engine is terminated with the intake and exhaust valves maintained closed. A pressurized testing gas is then injected into the combustion chamber so that vacuum at different locations on the engine may be sampled to determine location of the highest gas leakage for identifying possible engine defects corresponding thereto.

Abstract: Spaced cambered wedges having flow diverting surfaces thereon are deployed from retracted positions within the smooth surfaced sides of a marine vessel hull undergoing water travel above a high speed, under which air ventilated cavities are established by the deployed wedges along the sides of the hull, imposing drag on the hull sides of a substantially reduced magnitude as compared to that otherwise imposed directly by the water alone.

Abstract: A protective fairing encloses the head and torso of a SCUBA diver wearing diving equipment, with clearance throughout. A viewing shell section of the fairing covering the diver head is attached to a torso covering shell section to form a hydrodynamic shape facilitating forward underwater movement by reducing drag. Such torso shell section has vent holes formed therein to prevent water displacement within the fairing by air and is provided with buoyancy distributing weights to neutralize the effect of positive buoyancy during forward movement through seawater.

Abstract: An accessible parameter of a chaos embodying system of a physical or biological type is monitored by extraction of measurement data and recordation thereof on a return map as a dynamic representation of the system activity, from which the magnitude and timing of intervention is determined and applied to the system in order to sustain chaos behavior.

Abstract: A protective system for covering the hull of a surface ship during off-shore transfer of cargo therefrom to a lighterage craft, includes a composite fender unit having a pair of elongated box sections with floatation buoyancy foam therein. The box sections are pivotally interconnected in assembled relation to each other by a base tray, accommodating displacement of the box sections from longitudinally aligned positions during storage on the ship to deployed positions in close laterally spaced relation to each other when filled with water while submerged to a depth wherein arch-shaped fender elements projecting from opposite sides of the box sections abut the hull of the ship and an approaching lighterage craft.

Abstract: Personnel information on employees respectively identified by social security numbers is initially entered in sequence and stored with number coding in data tables that are repeatedly updated to maintain access to current data for look-up and extraction of reports on selected categories of such data from which comparative technical skills of the employees may be assessed.

Abstract: A sealant in its liquid phase is placed between attachment portions of paint coated metallic parts for subsequent in-place solidification into a gasket for both sealing and permanent bonding purposes. The attachment portions are then interconnected by screws extending through the gasket to increase its bonding strength.

Abstract: Contaminants within the gaseous emission discharged from an incinerator are eliminated during passage in parallel through reactor chambers by chemical reaction induced during exposure to plasma generated within said chambers. The plasma is generated by corona-discharge breakdown of electric fields established about electrodes within the reactor chambers upon supply thereto of electrical pulse voltage exceeding a critical field breakdown value inversely proportional to a high chamber temperature of the gaseous emission under atmospheric pressure within the reactor chambers.